"As per the scope of work, the company will collaborate with Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), Chennai, for manufacture, assembly and testing of light weight clutch for the design and development of weight optimised 1500 hp automatic transmission for main battle tanks," Ashok Leyland said in a statement.

Ashok Leyland has combined its indigenously developed mechanical pump used in BS3 engines and the iEGR (Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation) technology to introduce the BS4 engines, the Chennai-based firm said in a statement.

"FY 17-18 has been an extremely satisfactory year for us with achievements in many fronts. Record domestic truck volumes, substantial growth in LCV, achievement of the second Deming Award, continued growth in market share, success of our digital market place, and most importantly, the transformation which i-EGR brought to the Indian market,” Dasari said.

The Greenfield manufacturing facility, involving Rs 340 crore of investment in two phases will make 9,600 buses a year at the end of two phases, the Ashok Leyland MD and chief executive Vinod Dasari said.

Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman at India’s second largest truck maker Ashok Leyland, prefers a low profile, but with managing director Vinod Dasari leaving at the end of the month, he says he’s become more “hands-on”.